A simple to prepare pasta dish featuring a light sauce balancing the tartness of fresh lemon juice and the distinctively salty Pecorino.

Author: Paula Barbarito-Levitt

Recipe type: Primi or Secondi

Serves: 6 as a primi, 4 as a secondi

Ingredients

1 pound of bucatini dried pasta

6 small zucchini thinly sliced lengthwise and then sliced into ¼ inch strips

1 Tbs. Kosher salt, plus additional for the pasta water

4 to 5 fresh zucchini blossoms, sliced lengthwise into strips

½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped

½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn into pieces

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup of freshly grated Pecorino cheese and more for passing

Instructions

Place the prepared zucchini strips in a colander set over a large bowl or in a clean kitchen sink. Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of kosher salt over the zucchini and mix thoroughly with your hands. Allow the salted zucchini to sit for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, rinse with cool water, gently squeeze dry, then lay on a clean cotton towel to absorb any residual water.

Fill a large pot with cold water, cover and place on the burner, turn the flame to high.

Select a serving bowl to accommodate the pasta and zucchini. Add the 2 Tbs. of lemon juice, ¼ cup of the extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper and ½ cup of the Pecorino to the serving bowl; mix together thoroughly. Add the prepared zucchini strips and stir well to combine.

Once the pot of water comes to a roaring boil, add a handful of Kosher salt along with the one pound of bucatini pasta, give the pasta a good strong stir and bring the pot back to a boil. Cook the pasta for 3 minutes less than the package directions recommend; for example the pasta brand I used suggested 12 minutes, however I removed the pasta from the water at the 9 minute mark.

Add the drained pasta to the serving bowl at once, combining with the sauce using the help of the tongs. Add the mint, parsley, and zucchini blossoms and gently combine. Top by drizzling the remaining ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and ½ cup of grated Pecorino, give the pasta a light turn. If you prefer the pasta to be a bit more "saucy" add a ladle of the pasta water.

The Bucatini is ready to serve or may be presented at room temperature. Accompany the dish with additional Pecorino. *the finished pasta dish is not salted as Pecorino is an especially salty cheese, naturally if you would like to add additional salt please do.

Recipe by LaBellaSorella at https://labellasorella.com/2015/09/bucatini-with-zucchini-lemon-pecorino/